


Alcestis

by CorpseBrigadier



Category: Hadestown - Mitchell
Genre: Classics, Embedded Images, Epistolary, Fanart, Footnotes, Postcards
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-30
Updated: 2019-10-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 17:56:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 1,201
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20839655
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorpseBrigadier/pseuds/CorpseBrigadier
Summary: After losing track of Orpheus, Hermes collects various and sundry correspondences from Persephone that concern both Eurydice's fate and that of the lone mortal woman who has left Hadestown successfully.





	1. An Introductory Letter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [aelisheva](https://archiveofourown.org/users/aelisheva/gifts).

> **Note:** At present, this work is not well-adapted to mobile. The text should be readable regardless of platform.
> 
> **[[Dropbox Link for Printable Versions of Postcards (Uses Avery Template 8386)]](https://www.dropbox.com/s/8uz7buorhn81sk5/PrintablePDF_Hadestown_Postcards.zip?dl=0)**

Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00  
Don't Ask When

Nine Muses  
Mt. Parnassus  
Delphi 330 54

Dearest Calliope, Clio, Erato, Euterpe, Melpomene, Polyhymnia, Terpsichore, Thalia, and Urania (although with special distinction and a hearty nod to Miss Melpomene ),

I’m writing to address some of your concerns regarding the recent circumstances that befell your—rather our—boy. I know that our relations have not always been cordial regarding the whole custody arrangement and such, but as I know you all have sentimental ichor in your hearts aplenty, I will assume his fate has been of interest to you. To those of you fine ladies who are not his mother—if you can remember who you are—I apologize for any bother. You may disregard this missive.

As I have something of a reputation to maintain as a trustworthy and careful courier when I’m not clocked in as a psychopomp, I’m sure you’ll understand that I will appreciate your discretion in these matters. Me and the boss downstairs have had some cooler conversations than I would like following the original incident, and I don’t want him getting the impression that I’m overly friendly with his wife just because I read her mail.

I collected the following pieces of correspondence between Madame Persephone; her (and my) dear father; her (and my) dear brother; her (and my) dear other brother; her mother (who was a bit trickier to deal with, not being mine at all); and lastly her husband. I will spare you any of my speculation as to what became of Orpheus following his encounter with those sordid ladies of the vine. I don’t know. However, this assemblage seems to indicate that reports of certain artifacts having washed up along the shore have been highly exaggerated. There is apparently reason to suspect he may have headed to Thessaly, but I for one, have reason to suspect he doesn’t know how to get there.

In any event, I’m sure you know that sad stories typically only find their way to happy ends in fairy tales, and that that there is no Muse for those as we don’t deal with them. I’d like to think, however, that one might find cause for hope—take that as you will. Pandora’s certainly done over its image these days.

The spring is very warm this year, and I for one am enjoying the season.

  
  
Your humble and obedient servant,  
Mr. Hermes

P. S. I've added some explanatory notes here and there to elaborate on my theories. I'm no Theban when it comes to deductions though, and I'm often glad of it.


	2. Greetings from Scenic Hadestown

Mama,  
Got in today. Old man is same as ever, maybe a bit politer though. Place is still lit up like a birthday cake. He added a damn ferris wheel even.

I think I'm feeling different this year, though. I'm trying to make the best of it. I think.

That girl's still here, you know.

All the best,  
Persephone

Demeter  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Image Credits:** [Gonzopowers](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dark_city_\(4747700572\).jpg) ([CC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)); [Carole Raddato](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Theodosian_Walls_of_Constantinople,_Istanbul_\(24053561188\).jpg) ([CC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/))


	3. Under Construction Since 800 BCE

Daddy,  
  
I know I haven't asked you for much before, but you know my brother?[1] You let him march down this way every few months it seems. My man's still sore about a lot of it, I know, but could you drop Herc a line? I don’t know where he is these days, and it would be nice to have him over. Tell him to mind the dog this time.[2]  
  
Your darling daughter  
Persephone 

Zeus  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] _I'm_ her brother. Practically _everyone's_ her brother. She really ought be more specific. (She means Hercules this time, though)   
[2] She's referring to that time Eurystheus sent him to steal Hadestown's resident attack animal. I had a much easier time of things for a while before he had the nerve bring him back.
> 
> * * *
> 
> **Image Credits:** [Penny Mayes](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elysian_Fields_-_geograph.org.uk_-_340112.jpg) ([CC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)); [Pete Davis1959](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gravel_Pit.jpg) ([CC 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en))


	4. What You Want That We Have Got

Daddy,  
  
I understand, you know. I think you're a prick, but I understand.  
  
Persephone

Zeus  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Image Credits:** [Takk](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Basalt_house-wall_-_Matraszentistvan,_Hungary.jpg) ([CC 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en))


	5. The Best Food You'll Never Eat

Mama,  
  
You know how you had to live with less than what you wanted too? You ever wonder why nobody around here would just fix it? I wonder why we're even Gods sometimes when this is what we get?  
  
All my love,  
Persephone 

Demeter  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Image Credits:** [Arbyreed](https://www.flickr.com/photos/19779889@N00/2050260083/in/photostream/) ([CC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en))


	6. Discoteca Infernale

Hey Brother Zagrues (or whatever Epiphet you want these days),[1]  
  
Thanks for doing alll that what you do. I've been throught more than one bottle writing this, you know. Thanks!! Anyhow, if you've heard about Mr. Orpheus and all the hell he went through. (It's a joke! See!) Papa's being reeaaal hard 'bout it, and I wondered if you could help sort this. You're all about miracles and mysteries and whatsis.  
  
Persephone 

Dionysus  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] I think she meant to write Zagreus (much like she meant to write "epithet"). It's one of the many names our good Lord of the Vine goes by, and it generally pertains to his capacity for popping in and out of Hadestown after a party gets a little too wild. It pertains to a lot of things actually--but those are better dealt with by the people who make a living out of studying this stuff rather than the rest of us who merely have to make a study of living it.   

> 
> * * *
> 
> **Image Credit:** [Robert Lamb](https://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5523214) ([CC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/)) 


	7. Mr. Ixion's Wild Ride

Dionysus,  
  
Tell the girls[1] they'll come down here too in time and that you’re damn lucky that they didn’t actually make that poor boy into some cut rate Euripides production.[2] I don’t know who that was down by the river,[3] but could you clean him up before I get back?  
  
I'll see you in a bit.  
  
Persephone

Dionysus  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] I assume you're familiar with the Maenads? They throw a mean party, but you need to mind yourself and stay respectful if you don't want to end up as the pinata. Lovely girls all around, though.   
[2] I thought the _Bacchae_ was rather good, myself.   
[3] This presumably refers to the poor wreckage of whomever it was who didn't stay sufficiently respectful. Apparently, however, this was _not_ Orpheus--despite the cant that Pindar's been passing around. I never believed it, myself. I taught the boy better manners than that.   

> 
> * * *
> 
> **Image Credits:** [pxsphere](https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1341898) ([CC 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/))


	8. Beware the Beast

Brother,  
  
How are things? I heard you got yourself a new devotee,[1] and I’m sure you’ve heard all the troubles the man’s had as of late. I’m sure you know all the troubles _I’ve_ had of late, but I’m always having them. Anyhow, I know you don’t want to talk about that one time daddy actually made you get a job—so I won’t.[2] But if you could give me your old boss’ #, I’d appreciate it a terrible lot.  
  
Persephone

Apollo  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00  


P.S. Don’t tell anyone about this, by the way, and let your sis know I’ll be out with something for the deer to browse on soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Apparently the rumors that Orpheus has taken up with the Lord of the Lyre have a little more meat to them. (I _invented_ the lyre, I'll have you know, so he really hasn't strayed all that far.)   
[2] I _will_ though. Lady Persephone is referring here to Apollo's time handling livestock with one Admetus, a mortal man out of Thessaly. This is about to get interesting.   

> 
> * * *
> 
> **Image Credits:** [Corinne Benavides](https://www.flickr.com/photos/corinne_benavides/34929466060) (CC 2.0)


	9. A Missive of Some Import

Hadestown  
Depths of the Earth  
Night

Apollo  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00  


Apollo,

I have reason to understand that my wife has contacted you recently about a Mr. Admetus, not knowing how close his residence presently is to her own.[1] It turns out that even the best of couples can fall to strife and he, by some obvious necessity, didn’t long survive the end of his marriage.[2] Due to certain clauses in certain contracts, the Fates agreement regarding him had certain unforeseen legal ramifications with regards to his wife. She is, it turns out, still imbued with various privileges and properties obtained in the course of her side of that bargain, and she might now invoke them for whomever she sees fit.[3]

If you have anyone in your patronage worthy of such information, feel free to use it as you determine.

  
  
Yours most sincerely,  
Hades, Sovereign of Tartarus, King of the Electric City, He Who Conducts  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [1] Well that's a bit of a surprise! To follow up on my prior comments, what's interesting about Admetus is that he was one of the only mortal men to be granted a reprieve from riding the train. Apollo, you see, found him to be a very understanding and discrete employer. To thank him for the kind treatment and his continued silence as regards many of fond story of a God wrangling sheep out of the mud (Ask me about it later), Apollo got the Fates rather inebriated and presented them with some papers. They woke up with a backlog of threads to cut and a contract stipulating that Admetus would never had to sojourn down below so long as somebody would take his place.   
[2] It turns out that not a lot of people were keen on the aforementioned arrangement. Nobody was, in fact, except his wife. She patiently took the ticket for him, and it probably would have been another tragic tale--good for a thousand retellings and two and a half hours of musical theater--if Hercules hadn't just solved the entire debacle by muscling his way downstairs and carrying her back. I'd imagine that under circumstances like those a man _might not_ survive his marriage long once it went south.   
[3] Oh my! _Oh my my my!_ I have no idea how that would work, but--then again--almost nobody's seen that contract.   

> 
> * * *


	10. A Love Note

Hades,  
  
Sending this from the station.  
  
I know Styx keeps a man to his word, but that you can’t make me any promises on this one. I know that the good widow and you have a bad history, but we’re all bad history at this point. I know that its rotten what you propose--that he shouldn't ask and she shouldn't go through with it--but you gave him another try. There's a mote of hope now even if it won't stand.  
  
See you in September,  
Persephone

Hades  
Hadestown  
Depths of the Earth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Image Credits:** [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/pomegranate-nature-tree-fruit-food-2806827/) ([CC 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/))


	11. Eleusis

Mama,  
  
I’ll probably be there by the time you get this. I have a lot to talk about when I get in.  
  
I sometimes wish you'd let yourself stay warm without me.  
  
Your Daughter,  
Persephone

Demeter  
Mt. Olympus  
Pieria 602 00

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Image Credits:** [Pixabay](https://pixabay.com/photos/seedling-germ-leaves-wildling-plug-1284676/) ([CC 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/))

**Author's Note:**

> **Credit for Recurring Images:** Postcard back from a GoogleImages search I swear was set to allow noncommercial use with modification; [Paper Texture](https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=3558&picture=paper-texture) by Petr Kratochvil ([CC 2.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/))
> 
> **Font Credits:** [Eudora](https://www.dafont.com/eudora.font), [Marquee Moon](https://www.dafont.com/marquee-moon.font)
> 
> * * *
> 
> See my [profile](https://archiveofourown.org/users/CorpseBrigadier/profile) for notes on remixes, podfic, derivative works, and constructive criticism.


End file.
